The present invention pertains to the hydrocracking of a hydro-carbonaceous feedstock. Petroleum refiners often produce desirable products such as turbine fuel, diesel fuel and other products known as middle distillates as well as lower boiling hydrocarbonaceous liquids such as naphtha and gasoline by hydrocracking a hydrocarbon feedstock derived from crude oil or heavy fractions thereof. Feedstocks most often subjected to hydrocracking are gas oils and heavy gas oils recovered from crude oil by distillation. A typical heavy gas oil comprises a substantial portion of hydrocarbon components boiling above about 371° C. (700° F.), usually at least about 50 percent by weight boiling above 371° C. (700° F.). A typical vacuum gas oil normally has a boiling point range between about 315° C. (600° F.) and about 565° C. (1050° F.).
Hydrocracking is generally accomplished by contacting in a hydro-cracking reaction vessel or zone the gas oil or other feedstock to be treated with a suitable hydrocracking catalyst under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of hydrogen as a separate phase in a two-phase reaction zone so as to yield a product containing a distribution of hydrocarbon products desired by the refiner. The operating conditions and the hydrocracking catalysts within a hydrocracking reactor influence the yield of the hydrocracked products.
Traditionally, the fresh feedstock for a hydrocracking process is first introduced into a denitrification and desulfurization zone having hydrogen in a gaseous phase and particularly suited for the removal of sulfur and nitrogen contaminants and subsequently introduced into a hydrocracking zone containing hydrocracking catalyst and having hydrogen in a gaseous phase. Another method of hydrocracking a fresh feedstock is to introduce the fresh feedstock and the effluent from the hydrocracking zone into the denitrification and desulfurization zone. The resulting effluent from the hydrocracking zone is separated to produce desired hydrocracked products and unconverted feedstock which is then introduced into the hydrocracking zone. Previously, at least a major portion of the hydrogen present in reaction zones was present in a gaseous phase.
Although a wide variety of process flow schemes, operating conditions and catalysts have been used in commercial activities, there is always a demand for new hydrocracking methods which provide lower costs, ease of construction, higher liquid product yields and higher quality products.